Nokia's software exits the US market

Nokia is to give up on its feature and low-end business in America, making the company a Windows Phone manufacturer as it makes one last pitch to become relevant in the USA.

The news came during an interview with the President of Nokia's US operation, Chris Weber, who was talking to AllThingsD. Explaining how the company was heavily focusing on the US market Weber said that Nokia Inc. would be dropping everything else as none of it mattered if the company's Windows Phone handsets failed:

"When we launch Windows Phones we will essentially be out of the Symbian business, the S40 business ... The reality is if we are not successful with Windows Phone, it doesn’t matter what we do"

Like many European stars Nokia has always coveted US success, and tried all sorts of things including opening offices in Silicon Valley and promotions based on an alternative reality (perhaps one where Nokia sells phones to Americans).

Nokia Inc., the company's US subsidiary, has been having a hard time shifting Symbian, or Series 40, handsets which are competing with basic Android handsets, and Samsung's Bada platform, as well as (even more) proprietary platforms.

Nokia still makes, some, money selling low-end devices into developing markets, but in the USA it's the smartphones that matter.

So now the US division is putting everything into Windows Phone, and promises the biggest-ever marketing push in what must surely be a last-ditch attempt to get big in America. ®